Death Valley Days

For the radio program of the same name, see Death Valley Days (radio program).

Death Valley Days
Early title card for Death Valley Days
GenreAnthology/Western
Presented by
StarringSee list
Narrated byMerle Haggard (1975 re-broadcasts)
Theme music composerHerbert Taylor
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons18
No. of episodes452 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Cinematography
Editors
  • Jack Wheeler
  • Anthony Wollner
Running time25 min.
Production companies
  • McGowan Productions
  • Flying A Productions
  • Filmaster Productions
  • Madison Productions
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseMarch 1, 1952 (1952-03-01) –
April 24, 1970 (1970-04-24)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Death Valley Days is an American Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was broadcast on radio until 1945. From 1952 to 1970, it became a syndicated television series, with reruns (updated with new narrations) continuing through August 1, 1975.[1] The radio and television versions combined to make the show "one of the longest-running Western programs in broadcast history."[2]: 43 

The series was sponsored by the Pacific Coast Borax Company, makers of 20 Mule Team Borax and Boraxo, and hosted by Stanley Andrews ("The Old Ranger") (1952–1964), Ronald Reagan (1964–1966), Robert Taylor (1966–1969), and Dale Robertson (1969–1970).[3] Hosting the series was Reagan's final work as an actor; he left the series in 1966 to run for governor of California.[3]

The television series was conceived by Pacific Coast Borax Company's advertising agency McCann-Erickson through company executive Dorothy McCann and Mitchell J. Hamilburg, who represented Gene Autry's Flying A Productions.[4]

  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 342. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference radio_rides was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. p. 209. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  4. ^ "A's Death Valley; More Product Plans". The Billboard. June 21, 1952. p. 11 – via Google Books.